Duration
3 weeksWeekly study
3 hours100% online
How it works
Designing a Green Corridor for Clean Air and Comfort
This course has been certified by the CPD Certification Service as conforming to continuing professional development principles. Find out more.
Understand how green corridors can reduce air pollution
Green corridors can be key in supporting health and liveability in urban environments. Made up of connected linear parks and small-scale nature interventions, urban green corridors can include networked city areas with a high concentration of vegetation, as well as spaces for walking and cycling.
On this three-week course, you’ll explore the development of green areas in urban environments. You’ll discover how these areas enable safe mobility away from vehicles and air pollution while supporting outdoor exercise and everyday connections with nature.
By the end, you’ll have a sound understanding of how green corridors promote clean air and support citizen health and wellbeing.
Explore the considerations for designing a green corridor
You’ll discover the considerations associated with the constructed and natural elements in a green corridor. This will include developing an understanding of how green and grey elements affect temperature and air pollution.
Understand the basics of plant biology
To ensure you comprehend the fundamental environmental processes behind green corridors, you’ll cover the basics of plant biology.
This knowledge will help you develop the tools for decision-making, such as how to select plants, how to design to work with both constructed and natural elements, and the principles for planning decisions in response to a range of pressures.
Explore case studies from the built environment
To aid your understanding throughout the course, you’ll explore case studies and hear from industry experts. You’ll also be encouraged to explore a local corridor to cement your knowledge.
By the end of the course, you’ll understand how the corridor provides connections for people’s mobility, for ecology, and for the surrounding landscape.
Syllabus
Week 1
The benefits of sticky plants to our urban environment
The vital nature of green corridors
First up we discuss what a 'green corridor' is and the benefits of a green corridor. We also look at different types of corridors.
The root and branch approach to green corridors
Starting with a look at your local green corridor, we then explore tree biology and the role of trees in remediating air pollution.
Trees in the urban system
We explore trees as part of the urban and natural system, and discuss street trees and their influence on temperature. We then look at the role of trees as filters of pollutants into soil, rivers and the sea.
Trees also bring challenges
It is important to acknowledge and address challenges associated with trees, so we discuss allergies, pollution, social perception and risks in relation to trees before we explore the benefits of trees for cities.
Weekly wrap up
In this activity, you will have the opportunity to test your knowledge of the topics covered during the week. You will also be provided with a summary of the week's learning, and some insight into what to expect in the new week.
Week 2
Getting inside the corridor with the ‘green’ and ‘grey’ components
The ‘green’ and ‘grey’ components of a corridor
First up we discuss the ‘green’ (biotic) and ‘grey’ (abiotic) components of a corridor so that we can start thinking about the ways that they interact.
Engaging with the elements: Thermal characteristics
The ways that cities have been planned, influence the green and grey elements that are present, and their interaction. In this activity, we dive deep into the thermal effects of wind and materials in a corridor.
Engaging with the elements: Airflow
Air pollution is a health risk for people in cities, and in this step, we consider the science, experience, and strategies associated with the interaction between green and grey infrastructure and air pollution.
Choosing trees and shrubs for your local environment
Choosing the right tree is essential to good design, and we consider different ways to select trees including measuring tree and leaf area and obtaining a local perspective.
Weekly wrap up
In this activity, you will have the opportunity to test your knowledge of the topics covered during the week. You will also be provided with a summary of the week's learning, and some insight into what to expect in the new week.
Week 3
Moving in and out of the corridor with strategic planning
Moving through and beyond the corridor
Green corridors don’t exist in isolation—they are part of a city and the surrounding landscape. In this activity, we look at an example of strategic planning that involves a landscape approach.
Accessible to all
In this activity we take a closer look at how people use green corridors, focussing on accessibility, and specific considerations of shadeways and green corridors for kids.
Tactical urbanism
Green corridors have social functions and values and in this activity we look at events, culture and climate change.
Course wrap up
In this activity, you will have the opportunity to test your knowledge of the topics covered during the week. You will also be provided with a summary of the week's learning.
When would you like to start?
Start straight away and join a global classroom of learners. If the course hasn’t started yet you’ll see the future date listed below.
Available now
Learning on this course
On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.
What will you achieve?
By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...
- Describe green corridors and their benefits
- Explain how the 'green' and 'grey' elements affect temperature, pollution, and airflow in a green corridor
- Identify key considerations associated with the constructed and natural elements in the corridor
- Present ways to encourage a holistic approach to designing green corridors
- Present ways to encourage mobility in a green corridor from a range of perspectives.
Who is the course for?
This course is designed for professionals working in or interested in urban mobility and sustainable urban development.
You could be either from the private or public sector.
Who will you learn with?
Academic researching environmental ethics, governance and diverse connections, with nature. Twitter: @lisadekleyn; www.linkedin.com/in/lisadekleyn/; https://cur.org.au/people/lisa-de-kleyn/.
Researcher, teacher @ RMIT University in sustainability & urban planning. Am passionate about the history of cities, urban greening and trees. Join us! https://www.linkedin.com/in/marco-amati-682b871
EIT Urban Mobility
EIT Urban Mobility is an initiative of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT). Since January 2019 we have been working to encourage positive changes in the way people move around cities in order to make them more liveable places. We aim to become the largest European initiative transforming urban mobility. Co-funding of up to € 400 million (2020-2026) from the EIT, a body of the European Union, will help make this happen.
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Choose the best way to learn for you! | $54/one-off payment | $39.99 For your first month. Automatically renews | Free |
Fulfill your current learning need | Develop skills to further your career | Sample the course materials | |
Access to this course | tick | tick | Access expires 26 Dec 2024 |
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Learn at your own pace | tick | tick | cross |
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Cancel for free anytime |
Ways to learn
Choose the best way to learn for you!
Subscribe & save
$39.99
For your first month. Automatically renews
Develop skills to further your career
- Access to this course
- Access to 1,000+ courses
- Learn at your own pace
- Discuss your learning in comments
- Digital certificate when you're eligible
Cancel for free anytime
Buy this course
$54/one-off payment
Fulfill your current learning need
- Access to this course
- Learn at your own pace
- Discuss your learning in comments
- Printed and digital certificate when you’re eligible
Limited access
Free
Sample the course materials
- Access expires 26 Dec 2024
Find out more about certificates, Unlimited or buying a course (Upgrades) Sale price available until 29 December 2024 at 23:59 (UTC). T&Cs apply. |
Find out more about certificates, Unlimited or buying a course (Upgrades)
Sale price available until 29 December 2024 at 23:59 (UTC). T&Cs apply.
Learning on FutureLearn
Your learning, your rules
- Courses are split into weeks, activities, and steps to help you keep track of your learning
- Learn through a mix of bite-sized videos, long- and short-form articles, audio, and practical activities
- Stay motivated by using the Progress page to keep track of your step completion and assessment scores
Join a global classroom
- Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
- Share ideas with your peers and course educators on every step of the course
- Join the conversation by reading, @ing, liking, bookmarking, and replying to comments from others
Map your progress
- As you work through the course, use notifications and the Progress page to guide your learning
- Whenever you’re ready, mark each step as complete, you’re in control
- Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate
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